Charging bucket for a furnace



Aug. 11, 1970 F, SCOTT 3,524,005

CHARGING BUCKET FOR A FURNACE Filed Nov. 13, 1968 2a 0 o I o 0 INVENTOR.

Fig I 7 BY Frank. 5.5m??? United States Patent Oihce 3,524,005 Patented Aug. 11., 1970 3,524,005 CHARGING BUCKET FOR A FURNACE Frank S. Scott, New Philadelphia, Ohio, assignor to Emerson Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Nov. 13, B68, Ser. No. 775,439 Int. Cl. H05b; B66c 3/00 US. Cl. 13-33 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A charging bucket has hinged closure means on the bottom to hold the material in the bucket and is slidably mounted in a shroud. The shroud is connected by links to the closure means and when the combination is lowered onto a furnace and the bucket moves downwardly into the shroud the relative movement between the bucket and the shroud causes the links to open the closure means. When the bucket is raised relative movement between the shroud and bucket in the other direction closes the closure means.

This invention relates to charging means for conveying to and discharging a material into a furnace, such as an electrical furnace.

It is customary, in the charging of electric furnaces, to fill some kind of a bucket or container, with the materials with which the furnace is to be charged and convey the bucket over and into proximity with the top of the furnace and discharge the contents into the furnace by opening some kind of doors or gates on the bottom of the bucket. One of the problems arises from the fact that it required considerable skill on the part of the operator to place the bucket in the proper position to assure that all the contents will be discharged into the furnace. If the contents are discharged at too great a height, it can cause a splashing of already molten metal in the furnace and frequently, if the bucket is not exactly centered, cause some of the charging materials to fall on the floor. In addition, some of the materials may cause a reaction with the contents in the nature of a flare up or explosion and materials be blown out of the furnace with resulting in jury to the workman.

Usually in the prior art devices separate means to open the charging bucket was used which made the buckets and their appurtenances expensive because of the additional controls and apparatus that was needed in order to effect the desired results.

The present invention contemplates a charging rnechanism where the contents are automatically discharged only when the mechanism is in a correct position over the furnace. Furthermore the rate of discharge can be accurately controlled. Because of the construction the contents are discharged exactly in desired position relative to the furnace and there is no loss of material or danger from splashing or eruption from the furnace.

In addition to the above, the charging mechanism is exceedingly simple and economical in construction, requires no extra controls to deteriorate or get out of order and may be operated by persons of minimum ski l.

Still other advantages of the invention and the invention itself will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof which is illustrated by the accompanying drawing and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical medial sectional view through a charging bucket of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Briefly, the invention contemplates a bucket which has a cylindrical body, the bottom of which is closed by a plurality of curved leaves hingedly secured to the lower end of the body. A shroud is provided, the upper portion of which is an annular ring surrounding the bucket body and through which the body may move. The shroud has a cylindrical wall which extends below the lower extremity of the leaves and is arranged to engage the top of a furnace. Links connected between the shroud and the leaves cause them to open or close as the bucket moves down into the shroud or upward out of the shroud.

More specifically, the bucket body 10 is cylindrical and is provided with a bail 12 secured to its upper extremity which may be engaged by a crane hook for transportation.

At the lower end of the body a plurality of leaves 14 are provided hingedly secured to the body by hinges 16. Each of the leaves is of curved cross section whereby, when closed, they form a conical end for the container. Four such leaves are shown but there could be more. The hinges each comprise an upper block 16a secured to the side of the body 10 and flanked by a pair of lower blocks 16b secured to the leaf 14. A hinge bolt .160 extends through the blocks and completes the hinge.

The shroud includes an upper plate 20 which is formed with a circular opening 20a to provide a close but free fit with the cylinder body 10. It has a skirt 20b that projects downward a distance substantially greater than the length of the bucket Wall 10. The leaves 14 on the bottom of the container 10 are connected to the inside of the wall of the shroud by links 22, the opposite ends of which are secured by hinge brackets 26 on the shroud and 28 on the leaves.

Four blocks 30 are secured to the top wall of the shroud on diametrically opposite sides. Each block carries a rotatable wheel follower 32 which bears against the outside of the container and keeps the container centered relative to the shroud and reduces sliding friction.

The drawing shows the apparatus in the position taken when the container is to be loaded. It will be noted that when the container is raised the blocks 16a which form the upper part of the leaf hinges, engage with the underside of the top wall of the shroud and the shroud is at this time suspended from the bucket. At the same time the leaves 14 are held in their closed position by the links 22. After the bucket is filled, it is transported by suitable means, attached to the bail, over the furnace. It is then lowered down onto the furnace until the shroud rests on the upper edge of the furnace surrounding the charging opening. Then as the bucket is lowered still further it moves downward into the shroud and the links 22, which have their ends connected to the shroud and leaves, cause the leaves to gradually open. The followers 32 keep the container from hanging up on the shroud, due to friction, and maintain the two in centered relation to each other.

It is apparent that the opening of the leaves 14 may be controlled to gradually open if desired, thus enabling the flow of material from the container into the furnace to be controlled. The wall of the shroud is sufliciently high that the leaves may be open to their full extent. Because the opening to the furnace is surrounded by the shroud, material from the furnace cannot escape and cause damage. The shape of the leaves is such as to cause the charging material to be discharged into the center of the furnace opening.

Another feature of the device resides in the fact that the entire assembly may be placed on a suitable rack which engages with the links 22, during the loading operation, and thus holds the leaves 14 securely closed without the need for upward pressure on the bail 12.

Having thus described the invention in an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that numerous and exten sive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. A charging mechanism for a furnace comprising a first portion for holding a charging material and having gate means mounted thereon to hold the charging material therein, a second portion movably telescoped with the first portion and means connecting the second portion and the gate means and arranged upon relative movement between said first and second portions to open and/ or close the gate means.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion is telescopically engaged with the second portion.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said gate means is on the bottom of the first portion.

=4. An apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said first portion is arranged to telescope inside the second portion.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion has a cylindrical body and said gate means is a plurality of transversely curve leaves hingedly connected to the lower end of said body.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein the gate means when closed form a conical bottom for said body.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion has a body and said second portion comprises a shroud having a top wall extending around said body and a skirt depending from the top wall arranged to engage a furnace around a charging opening.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said gate means comprises a plurality of leaves and hinge means connects said leaves to the body and said leaves form a bottom for the body which is of decreasing cross sectional area toward the lowermost part away from the body.

9. An apparatus as described in claim "8 wherein said hinge means is arranged to engage with the underside of the top Wall of said shroud when the first portion is raised,

10. An apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein antifriction guide means are mounted on said top wall in rolling engagement with the body.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said connecting means includes a plurality of links each having one of its opposite ends connected to one of said leaves and the other to the inside wall of said shroud.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 992,724 5/1911 Lock-wood 294-71 2,746,787 5/ 1956 Bottcher 294-71 3,329,288 4/1967 Knight et a1. 2l435 I-I IRAM B. GILSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

